PRACTICE |
WHAT TO DO |
NOTES |
Field Buffers |
Establish a 10-50 foot grassy/weedy buffer around crop fields adjacent to drainages/woodlands. |
Field buffers will grow naturally once left fallow. |
Unharvested Strips |
Leave strips of unharvested grain bordering other suitable quail habitat. |
Wheat, corn and milo have food and cover value and insects for quail. |
Cedar Control |
Cut and remove eastern red cedar from grassland and riparian habitats. |
Cedars compete with native plants for water, nutrients and space. |
Haying |
Avoid haying waterways or consider haying only every 2-3 years. |
Waterways are important travel corridors between habitat types. |
Crop Field Size |
Convert large crop fields into smaller fields with grassy/weedy buffers separating each field. |
Smaller fields increase edge habitat for quail. |
Crop Field Shape |
Convert odd areas of crop fields into native grassy/weedy areas, especially along drainages. |
Odd U-shaped field areas are perfect for grass/weedy sites. |
Pesticides |
Avoid using herbicides/insecticides within cropland bordering quail habitat. |
"Weeds" and insects are vital components of quail habitat. |
Strip Disking |
Disk strips at edges of grassy areas, especially near woody cover. |
Fall and winter disking is best. |
Controlled Burning |
Burn patches or large blocks of idle fields or timber, especially grassy areas with heavy thatch. |
Prescribed burn associations are available for assistance. |
Timber Thinning |
Thin timber stands that prevent sunlight from reaching the forest floor. |
Goal should be 50-75 percent of herbaceous cover on forest floor. |
Exotic Plant Control |
Spot spray stands of exotic or invasive vegetation. |
Exotics outcompete native plants for water, nutrients and space. |
Improved Pasture Conversion |
Convert pastures of fescue, Bermuda grass and yellow bluestem to native vegetation. |
Nonnative monoculture pastures have very little benefit for quail. |
Controlled Grazing |
Use high intensity-low frequency grazing within areas of heavy grass cover and dense thatch. |
Light year-round grazing may be appropriate to maintain bare ground component. |
Overgrazed Range |
Alter grazing system to allow for range recovery. |
Winter burning will help improve range condition. |
Mowing |
Mow strips within large areas of dense brushy or woody cover. |
Primarily used where native grass and forb habitats are lacking. |
Food Plantings |
Plant a variety of food plants in strips or patches, especially in areas lacking food resources. |
Use several ¼ to ½-acre plots rather than one larger plot. |
Native Grass/Forb Planting |
Plant a mixture of native grasses and forbs within idle areas lacking native grass/forb component. |
May require control of existing vegetation prior to planting. |
"Weed" Control |
Avoid spraying herbicides to control native "weeds" as these plants provide food and cover. |
Native "weeds" are important sources of cover and food for quail. |
Shrub Establishment |
Plant native shrubs within native grassland. |
Shrub thickets should be "a softball's throw away" for optimum habitat. |
Half-cutting Trees |
Half-cutting trees within grass/woodland edge habitat provides additional shrubby component. |
Choose trees with vines as the vines will provide cover and food. |
Forest Openings |
Establish ¼-acre to 1-acre forest openings within stands of timber. |
A large number of small openings are better than one larger opening. |